State Department approves sale of six AH-64E Apaches to India

The State Department approved a possible direct commercial sale of six Boeing AH-64E Apache helicopters to India for an estimated cost of $930 million on 12 June.

Included in the sale are 14 GE Aviation T700-GE-701D engines; four Northrop Grumman APG-78 fire control radars; 180 Lockheed AGM-114 Hellfire missiles; and 200 Raytheon Stinger missiles, among other weapons and subsystems.

“This support for the AH-64E will provide an increase in India's defensive capability to counter ground-armored threats and modernize its armed forces,” said the State Department. “India will have no difficulty absorbing the helicopters and support equipment into its armed forces.”

Also included are training and dummy missiles, 30mm cannon and ammunition, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical documentation, US Government and contractor engineering and logistics support services, according to the State Department.

Boeing formed a joint venture with India’s Tata Sons in 2008, called Tata Boeing Aerospace. The company opened an Apache fuselage production facility in Hyderabad, India in March 2018 and delivered the first airframe on 8 June.

The order of six helicopters is in addition to an order for 22 AH-64E Apache helicopters India placed in September 2015. Deliveries of the initial helicopters are scheduled to begin in 2019.

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